Odessa Police Department officer Cpl. Cory Wester has had his employment terminated, the department announced Wednesday.
An Odessa police release detailed that Wester’s actions during an April 2018 arrest were investigated, before his actions were found to be unreasonable.
The release states that on April 27, Wester was dispatched with other officers to MCM FunDome in reference to a disturbance, where they encountered an intoxicated female who refused to comply with orders. As Wester attempted to handcuff her, she grasped Wester’s wrist tightly, causing him pain, before Wester struck her with a closed fist in the head four to five times, the release details.
The case has been sent to the Texas Rangers.
Further information was unavailable from Odessa police or Texas Department of Public Safety officials on Wednesday.
In 2015, Wester was shot during a standoff involving OPD in east Odessa.
Roy Garza was sentenced to life in prison in 2017 after being found guilty on two charges of attempted capital murder, when it was determined he shot Wester and Sgt. Pedro “Pete” Gonzalez at Clayton Manor Townhomes on Dec. 23, 2015.
